Obscure computing device fantasies

[benoitb]

I would be interested in a device that combines some smartphone features with dumbphone battery life, as a companion device for the Pandora/Pyra.

E.g. something with a large (5-6" or so) e-ink screen that consumes nearly no power, a built-in decent camera which can also be used as a USB camera. It would have a weak/power-friendly cpu, with little RAM and little persistent storage. You would tether it to your Pyra via bluetooth (most of the time) or USB (when bluetooth is too slow, e.g. when using it as a camera), and it would use the Pyra's cellphone connection for making calls (it would basically be a bluetooth headset). You could use it as an extra screen for the Pyra, useful in bright daylight, when black&white is good enough (e.g. when reading a book or a Wikipedia article), or when an extra screen is useful (e.g. to show a PDF manual or game walkthrough). It could be used as a webcam for videoconferencing (perhaps it could clip onto the Pyra lid in some clever way so that the camera faces the Pyra user), or as a regular camera (using the Pyra screen to see what you're aiming at).

So basically it would be a compact e-reader with built-in camera and mic/speaker. Does that exist already?

Brilliant idea ! Make it waterproof as well so you can use it to look at maps when hiking, place phone calls outside, etc...

Honestly, a Pyra + the device you are describing would be the alpha and omega of mobile computing. Ideally the companion device should be charged only once a week.

 

[ibisum]

Can't wait until my Oscilloscope Watch shows up:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/920064946/oscilloscope-watch

 

[pmprog]

A programmable watch with a long battery life I would like a wristwatch that not only tells the time, but can run small programmes and store small ammounts of data provided by the user.

Yep, high on my list - though the closest I could find is the new batch of Garmin watches with their shoddy MonkeyC thing. Still, it's not bad.Because I've been training (loosely), I've been connecting it back up to the pc semi-regularly, so I still don't know exactly how much battery life it gives me.

 

[Bosbeetle]

I would like a pocket camera with a nice macro language to do programmable tasks and fully open features.

 

[Binky]

^ Have you invesitgated CHDK

Ti chronos seems rather dependent on external devices for most of its computery features. 

Sillyscope watch? Neat!

Fancy electronic pocketwatch?

Is nice idea, especially with the chain (making it unstealable)

How big do you think it could be without getting cumbersome?

Lots of oportunities for steampunkiness, too....

 

[DrHAX]

^ Have you invesitgated CHDK

Ti chronos seems rather dependent on external devices for most of its computery features. 

Sillyscope watch? Neat!

Fancy electronic pocketwatch?

Is nice idea, especially with the chain (making it unstealable)

How big do you think it could be without getting cumbersome?

Lots of oportunities for steampunkiness, too....

I would love something mechanically powered.. So instead of the winding mechanism controlling the clock it would power the system... Stupid? Yes! But It would be quite a fun thing.. I would love a mechanically powered little tiny stupid computer, Even if it had the processor that was laughable today, think PDA levels of advancement. But if it could handle simple word processing and have a monochrome screen I'd be happy.. with my stupid little mechanical computer/ word processor  :lol:

 

[Binky]

I have a radio somewhere where you wind a ribbon of spring steel from one drum onto the other - and then releasing a mechanical brake causes the spring to return, turning a dynamo.

I can't really see why that shouldn't work for a smaller device - although I don't know how the energy density compares to chemical cells.

 

[FelixNemis]

The Pebble/Pebble time is actually pretty close to what you described, aside from the battery life only being about a week and only having 4 buttons

 

[Binky]

aside from the battery life

 
...and theres the problem.

I want to be able to forget about a watch, not build it's needs into my daily routine.

 

[PowerGod]

9 years ago I got the previous version of this http://www.casio.com/products/archive/Watches/PRO_TREK/SPW1000-2V/

I never changed the battery and it's still working... (and I use 5 alarms and light almost every day)

I'm not that savvy or hacky, but If only there was a way to use the RC protocol to reprogram it wirelessly...

EDIT:

I remember an old microsoft watch that was using it's cam (not exacly a cam, mainly a limited sensor) to read commands from the monitor of the PC, it was working like a barcode reader to get the informations, it was cool, no wifi, no bluetooth, no NFC, just a plain reading from the monitor...

 

[WizardStan]

...and theres the problem.

I want to be able to forget about a watch, not build it's needs into my daily routine.

The Pebble Time has an aux port including power in/out lines. I'm intending to try bolting on a small and cheap solar panel, the kind used in cheap calculators. I'm hoping it'll double the time between charges.

 

[DrHAX]

I have a radio somewhere where you wind a ribbon of spring steel from one drum onto the other - and then releasing a mechanical brake causes the spring to return, turning a dynamo.


I can't really see why that shouldn't work for a smaller device - although I don't know how the energy density compares to chemical cells.

Even if you had capicators taking the charge from it would be like those tiny RC cars which don't have batteries, but a large capicator like found in a camera's flash. Yes I've put thought into this.

 

[WizardStan]

Actually on the topic of obscure computing, maybe someone knows of something: I just want a cheap ARM something or other with a wifi and some GPIO. The CHIP would be perfect if not for the ridiculous shipping and the fact that you can really only practically order one. It doesn't even need to be powerful enough for a full OS (although that helps), an M4 with a few hundred KB of RAM would be enough. I just want something with enough smarts to accept some commands and toggle some GPIOs, maybe read some sensors and send that data back.

M3 and M4 demo boards exist but they're RJ45 network at best, and still cost no less than $15.

I figure if the CHIP can hypothetically produce something with some power and wifi for under $10 then there should be something out there for with less power for even less.

 

[pmprog]

Actually on the topic of obscure computing, maybe someone knows of something: I just want a cheap ARM something or other with a wifi and some GPIO. The CHIP would be perfect if not for the ridiculous shipping and the fact that you can really only practically order one. It doesn't even need to be powerful enough for a full OS (although that helps), an M4 with a few hundred KB of RAM would be enough. I just want something with enough smarts to accept some commands and toggle some GPIOs, maybe read some sensors and send that data back.

M3 and M4 demo boards exist but they're RJ45 network at best, and still cost no less than $15.

I figure if the CHIP can hypothetically produce something with some power and wifi for under $10 then there should be something out there for with less power for even less.

How about something like this?

https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy3.html

https://www.pjrc.com/store/adafruit_cc3000.html

 

[rygD]

Both of those are listed at more than $15 before shipping.

Edit: and are you suggesting combining them?  Doesn't sound like what he is looking for.  I do need to pick up a teensy to mess around with eventually.

Another edit:  WizardStan, I guess it was in the CHIP thread where you mentioned specifically what you want to do.  I will check there for details.  How many were you looking for, and what is a realistic price for you per unit?

 

[pmprog]

Both of those are listed at more than $15 before shipping.

I didn't really read the requirement for sub-$15, so yeah, I guess not really what he's after

 

[rygD]

Both of those are listed at more than $15 before shipping.

I didn't really read the requirement for sub-$15, so yeah, I guess not really what he's after

I think he wants it to cost less than the CHIP (see my edit).  I wonder if things like the CHIP will help lower costs of other things.

 

[WizardStan]

I'd even go with "less than the CHIP after shipping".

I have a lot of ideas and almost none of them will ever come to fruition but before I can even consider giving up I'd need to be able to source 10 devices for under $150. Any more than that and there's no cost benefit against exist home automation systems.

 

[levi]

I want to be able to forget about a watch, not build it's needs into my daily routine.

I've an old wind-up watch from the 1960s, and that need to be wound every morning else it stops the next day at about 2:30pm.

But it does bring me to a neat periperhal that I wish modern smartwatches used - the knurled knob you use to wind a traditional watch or set the time.  It's analogue, so it beats digital buttons hands down, and it combines the function of three inputs (not independent though - scroll up, down, press in) - and you can have extra rarely used functions if you pull it out.

Sadly on my 1960s watch I need to pull it out every couple of days to reset the time if I want it anywhere near accurate - it gains about 45 seconds a day.

 

[DrHAX]

I want to be able to forget about a watch, not build it's needs into my daily routine.

I've an old wind-up watch from the 1960s, and that need to be wound every morning else it stops the next day at about 2:30pm.

But it does bring me to a neat periperhal that I wish modern smartwatches used - the knurled knob you use to wind a traditional watch or set the time.  It's analogue, so it beats digital buttons hands down, and it combines the function of three inputs (not independent though - scroll up, down, press in) - and you can have extra rarely used functions if you pull it out.

Sadly on my 1960s watch I need to pull it out every couple of days to reset the time if I want it anywhere near accurate - it gains about 45 seconds a day.

Open up the back and decrease the speed.. I've collected a few soviet watches and there is ways to minimalize the accuracy lose.